Having Fun With VHF

Bob Witte

KØNR

Speaking TodayBob Witte KØNRMonument, CO USA DM79bob@k0nr.com www.k0nr.com

I was first licensed in 1977 after taking a ham radio license class at Purdue University

My technical background is Electrical Engineering and I have worked for decades in the electronic test and measurement industry.

Ham radio interest: the confluence of VHF ham radio, mountains and exploring.

And I like to write stuff.

Let’s Talk About…

What is VHF (and UHF)?

Ham Shack In Your Hand

• HT: Handheld Transceiver

• Affordable and compact transceiver with antenna, battery

• Typically covers 2 meters and 70 centimeters

• Low power (~5 watts)

• The three best ways to improve your HT:

Antenna, antenna, antenna

Basic VHF Station

DC Power Supply

FM Mobile Transceiver

VerticalAntenna

Coaxial cable

DC cable

• Single Sideband (SSB) is much better than FM for weak signals

• Calling frequency:144.200 MHz USB

• Horizontal antennas• Find Activity: Nets and

Contests

All Mode Transceiver – IC-9700• There is one all-mode VHF/UHF transceiver (from ICOM)

• IC-9700 - Same size as IC-7300.

• 2m, 70cm, 23cm SDR (144 MHz, 432 MHz, 1.2 GHz)

• Color 4.3 inch color TFT touch screen and real-time spectrum display

Price~$1500

“Do Everything” TransceiversThere are HF through UHF radios that do “all modes” (CW, SSB, FM, AM, digital)

Yaesu FT-991A

HF bands,

6m, 2m, 70cm

All mode

~$1200

Also: ICOM IC-7100, Yaesu FT-857D

Portable QRP TransceiversLow power (5 to 10W) portable radios, HF through UHF

Yaesu FT-818ICOM IC-705

Starting to ship now ?!!?!

Elecraft KX-3 with 2m option

(no 70cm)

• 6 Meters• Wire dipole antenna• End-fed halfwave antenna• Yagi antenna

• 2 Meters and up• Usually going to use a beam antenna

Typically: Yagi• Horizontally polarized for SSB weak signal work

Antennas

Antennas: Polarization is Important• Vertical polarization for FM, DMR, D-STAR

• Naturally omnidirectional

• Convenient for handheld, mobile and base

• Horizontal polarization for SSB, CW, WSJT (weak signal)• Better performance with directional antennas

• Omnidirectional antennas available, too.

• Typical installation is a yagi antenna with >8dBd of gain with rotor

Vertical AntennasDiamond X-50A

2m & 70cm5.6 feet tall~ $90

Arrow J-Pole

OSJ-146/440

2m & 70cm58 inches tall~ $50

Arrow

GP146/440

Ground Plane

2m & 70cm

~ $50

M2 2m HO Loop

2m loopOmnidirectional

M2 2m

4-element Yagi

Horizontal Antennas

9.6 dBi gain~$160

M2 2m

9-element Yagi

14.1 dBi gain~$285

Requires rotor for changing direction

• Line-of-Sight is a simple model

• VHF signals go beyond the radio horizon

• Line-of-Sight is a simple model

• VHF signals go beyond the radio horizon

How Far Will My Signal Go on VHF?

• Optical horizon from Pikes Peak: 120 miles, plus 15% for radio horizon = 138 miles

• Mt Sunflower (highest spot in Kansas) is easily worked on 2m FM from Pikes Peak (160 miles)

• Best 2m FM DX during Colorado 14er Event: Phil NØKE on Mt Bross to Larry NØLL near Smith Center, KS (375 miles)

Skywave Propagation

Sporadic-e Propagation

Seasonal: most common during the summer months

Occurs frequently on 6 meters

Occurs less frequently on 2 meters

F-Layer Propagation

Common propagation mode for HF bands

Occurs on 6 meters with intense sunspot activity

• Propagation is normally similar to 2 meters• When sporadic-e (“e skip”) occurs, the band comes alive

• Sporadic-e openings allow contacts across North America (and more)

• Sporadic-e is very common in June and July• Calling frequency: 50.125 MHz USB• Move up in frequency as the band gets busy• 50.110 to 50.125 MHz is the DX Window, use it only for contacts

to other countries

• FT8 Digital Mode is very popular on 6 metersWorks very well with weak signals and can compensate for poor propagation

6 Meters – The Magic Band

Let’s Talk About…

• VHF/UHF bands above 50 MHz

• Scoring is based on Maidenhead Grid

• Most contest activity is on SSB, also CW, FM, FT8

• FT8 (and FT4) are now popular, especially on 6 meters

• Use all amateur bands above 50 MHz

• 50 MHz, 144 MHz and 432 MHz are most popular

• Work everyone you can on every band

• Score = QSO points x Total Grids Worked

Contest Format

50 MHz (6 meters) 1296 MHz (23 cm)

144 MHz (2 meters) 2304 MHz (13 cm)

222 MHz (1¼ meters) 3456 MHz (9 cm)

432 MHz (70 cm) 5760 MHz (5 cm)

903 MHz (33 cm) 10 GHz (3 cm)

To make a contact, you need to exchange call sign and grid locator with the other station

• ARRL January VHF ContestThird or fourth weekend in January

• ARRL June VHF ContestSecond full weekend in June

• CQ Worldwide VHF ContestThird full weekend in July

6 Meters and 2 Meters only

• ARRL September VHF ContestSecond full weekend in September

Contest Calendar

June is the big

VHF contest:

warm weather and

sporadic-e

Stu WØSTUMt HermanJanuary VHF 2011

KØNRCQ WW VHF 2006Mount Evans

M2 2M9SSB

• Rover stations move from grid to grid, making multiple contacts with the same stations.

Rover StationEric KRØVER

Let’s Talk About…

Summits On The Air (SOTA)• Two ways to participate

• Activator• Chaser

• Worldwide program

• Points and Award System

• Over 1800 SOTA summits in Colorado

• SOTA activation requirements:• summit must be on the SOTA list• equipment must be carried (no minimum distance, not

attached to vehicle)• portable power (no fossil fuel generators)

See https://www.sota.org.uk/

Source:SOTA Atlashttp://sotl.as

• Summits On The Air• HF or VHF (or both)• 2m FM is the most popular

VHF mode

Easy VHF SOTA ActivationAlso known as “take along a 2m handheld on a hike”

Kaufman Ridge HP(WØ/SP-081)

10,765 feet elevation

The ½-wave Vertical Antenna

MFJ-1714 – SMA or BNC connector

The ½-wave Vertical Antenna

MFJ-1714 – SMA or BNC connector

Dualband 2m/70cm halfwave antennaSearch Amazon forTWAYRDIO RH770

SMA (male or female)BNC

$17 delivered

Improved VHF SOTA ActivationAlso known as “bring along a small 2-meter Yagi antenna”

Aspen Ridge(WØC/SP-084)

10,740 feet elevation

Arrow 3-element Yagi for 2m

Bob KØNR on Mt Sneffels (14,150 Feet)

Steve WGØAT at 14,000 Feet

• More punch for the NLOS region

• Improve antenna first• Increase transmit power

Capulin Mountain SOTA

WorkedN7KA184 miles2m CW

W5N/SG-0098182 feet

150 miles to major population area

Capulin Mountain SOTACapulinMt

N7KA WorkedN7KA184 miles2m CW

W5N/SG-0098182 feet

150 miles to major population area

VHF Contest plus SOTA2016 January VHF Contest (KØNR)2m & 70cm fm and ssb17 QSOs in about one hourBest DX: Wyoming DN71 (140 miles)

Mt Herman WØC/FR-0639063 feet

Yaesu FT-817

David KI6YMZ on Mt Elbert 2015

Steve WGØAT and Guy N7UN

It’s Not Always Warm and Sunny

Q&A

Summary:VHF/UHF, Hiking, SOTA, Contesting and Mountains